Prof.Jörg Fröbisch Ph.D.
Scientist
Vita
We study the early evolution and diversification of terrestrial vertebrates and their ecosystems, the origin of key innovations and body plans, and the impact of mass extinction events on terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems by combining paleontological fieldwork with modern 3D-imaging techniques and quantitative methods.
Further information
Awardee of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2010)
Projects
Opening science: new ways of knowledge transfer using the example of the research project “Bromacker” (PI)
A reassessment of Permian parareptiles using 3D imaging technologies, and their importance for early amniote evolution and ecology (PI)
Evaluating the origin of Cynodontia (Synapsida, Therapsida) using 3D-Imaging Technologies (PI)
Anatomy, Ecology and Ontogeny of Mesosaurs using 3D-Imaging Technologies (PI)
Late Palaeozoic Tetrapod Biogeography (PI)
Research group Jörg Fröbisch
We study the early evolution and diversification of terrestrial vertebrates and their ecosystems, the origin of key innovations and body plans, and the impact of mass extinction events on terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems by combining paleontological fieldwork with modern 3D-imaging techniques and quantitative methods.
Publications
Kammerer, C., Angielczyk, K., Fröbisch, J. (2025). Permian origins of the Lystrosauridae (Therapsida: Dicynodontia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 45(Supplement 1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2025.2451813
Ezcurra, M.D., Sues, H.D., Fröbisch, J. (2025). A new late Permian archosauromorph reptile from Germany enhances our understanding of the early diversity of the clade. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 23(1), 2509639. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2025.2509639
Marchetti, L., Logghe, A., Buchwitz, M., Fröbisch, J. (2025). Early Permian synapsid impressions illuminate the origin of epidermal scales and aggregation behavior. Current Biology, 35(11), 2752-2759. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.077
Ponstein, J., MacDougall, M.J., Fröbisch, J. (2024). A comprehensive phylogeny and revised taxonomy of Diadectomorpha with a discussion on the origin of tetrapod herbivory. Royal Society Open Science, 11(6), 231566. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231566
Ponstein, J., Hermanson, G., Jansen, M.W., Renaudie, J., Fröbisch, J., Evers, S.W. (2024). Functional and Character Disparity Are Decoupled in Turtle Mandibles. Ecology and Evolution, 14(11), e70557. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70557
Marchetti, L., MacDougall, M.J., Buchwitz, M., Canoville, A., Herde, M., Kammerer, C.F., Fröbisch, J. (2024). Origin and early evolution of vertebrate burrowing behaviour. Earth-Science Reviews, 250, 104702. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104702
Ponstein, J., MacDougall, M.J., Schaeffer, J., Kammerer, C.F., Fröbisch, J. (2025). Mandibular form and function is more disparate in amniotes than in non-amniote tetrapods from the late Palaeozoic. PeerJ, 13, e20243. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20243
Hoffmann, J., Quaisser, C., Hoffmann, A., Blessing, A., Freyhof, J., Fröbisch, J., Fröbisch, N., Frommolt, K.H., Giere, P., Greshake, A., Hecht, L., Heumann, I., Knörnschild, M., Mayer, F., Meier, R., Nadim, T., von Rintelen, T., Rödel, M.O., Schmitt, R.T., Sommerwerk, N. (2023). Forschungscluster für Sammlungserschließung am Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Museum für Naturkunde Berlin - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7479/7df5-b402
Bazzana-Adams, K.D., MacDougall, M.J., Fröbisch, J. (2024). Cranial anatomy of Emeroleter levis and the phylogeny of Nycteroleteridae. PLoS ONE, 19(4), e0298216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298216
Pusch, L.C., Kammerer, C.F., Fröbisch, J. (2024). The origin and evolution of Cynodontia (Synapsida, Therapsida): Reassessment of the phylogeny and systematics of the earliest members of this clade using imaging technologies. The Anatomical Record, 307(4), 1634-1730. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25394
Gigliotti, A., Pusch, L.C., Kammerer, C.F., Benoit, J., Fröbisch, J. (2023). Craniomandibular anatomy of the akidnognathid therocephalian Olivierosuchus parringtoni from the Early Triassic of South Africa. Palaeontologia africana, 56. URL: https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/items/fe9d481f-5de9-44c4-be52-a1d20f5a97f8
MacDougall, M.J., Jannel, A., Henrici, A.C., Berman, D.S., Sumida, S.S., Martens, T., Fröbisch, N.B., Fröbisch, J. (2024). A new recumbirostran ‘microsaur’ from the lower Permian Bromacker locality, Thuringia, Germany, and its fossorial adaptations. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 4200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46581-3
Bendel, E.M., Kammerer, C.F., Smith, R.M.H., Fröbisch, J. (2023). The postcranial anatomy of Gorgonops torvus (Synapsida, Gorgonopsia) from the late Permian of South Africa. PeerJ, 11, e15378. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15378
MacDougall, M.J., Jannel, A., Henrici, A.C., Berman, D.S., Sumida, S.S., Martens, T., Fröbisch, N.B., Fröbisch, J. (2024). [Author Correction:] A new recumbirostran ‘microsaur’ from the lower Permian Bromacker locality, Thuringia, Germany, and its fossorial adaptations. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 9522. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59039-x
Fröbisch, J., Laurin, M., MacDougall, M., Modesto, S., Reisz, R. (2025). Editorial: Origin and early evolution of amniotes. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2025.1656851
Nieke, S., Fröbisch, J., Canoville, A. (2025). Bone microstructure of the basal anomodont Suminia getmanovi supports its arboreal lifestyle. Scientific Reports, 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92727-w